Akihiko Usami
Akihiko Usami is the one of the characters of the Romantica couple. He is 28-32 years old throughout the course of the manga series. He is a famous author of various Boys Love novels, writing his work under the pen-name Akikawa Yayoi. He is shown to be very popular, even winning an award for his work. For a majority of his life, Akihiko had been deeply and passionately in love with Takahiro, his childhood best friend, the latter whom has no idea about these feelings. He eventually met Takahiro's younger brother, Misaki, with whom he initially had a rocky beginning with. However, he soon came to love and form a passionate relationship with Misaki instead. History Akihiko grew up as a typical rich boy. However, his family life proved to be very dysfunctional. Both his father and mother emotionally neglected him, always too busy in their personal lives and work to care for him. Also, his brother and him have always been on bad terms (with Akihiko remarking how his brother "was always taking his things"), even in their chilhood. However, the root and cause of their rivalry is left unknown. Although, it is implied that his brother is jealous of him. Also revealed, his mother cheated on his father and one day brought home her lover, Akihiko's paternal uncle. A young Akihiko had witnessed the affair and, in result, the event had put him off the idea of becoming romantically involved with a woman. (Although in the manga, he admits to having had a few brief flings with women.) His father had also cheated on his mother two years prior to his birth, which is how his half-brother came to be. He had an older male tutor who would molest him as a child. Having been emotionally neglected and having failed to learn what genuine love should be, this proved to be his only source of gathering of what "love" was like. This proved to have a significant effect on him mentally and emotionally in his adult years. Akihiko was also childhood friends with Hiroki Kamijou, whom he met one day in the forest near his residence. The two would go on to be good friends for the majority of their lives. As a method to dealing with his loneliness, he often wrote various stories in notebooks. Misaki would later find these notebooks when visiting Akihiko's childhood home and said that, while the narrator and main character found happiness, the endings were still rather tragic and bittersweet. Isaka, of the Mistake couple, found these stories back when Akihiko was a teenager and got him published, seeing the potential. It is stated that, in his later life, Akihiko had graduated at the top of his class of Teito University Law school and became the youngest to ever win the Naomori Award. Appearance and Personality Appearance Akihiko, despite his young age, has grey hair with what appears to be purple eyes and a tall body. He always dresses in a formal manner, even at home. Akihiko wears glasses while working and sometimes while driving. He also owns several sunglasses, which he wears while driving. Personality He initially appears to be mature and wise. However, he has actually proven to be rather childish and brash. He can also be rather rude, such as at times when he doesn't want Misaki to talk to his senpai or friends. He is also childish when it comes to his professional career with his editor. Also, he has a habit of spending wild amounts of money on small little things, much to Misaki's chagrin. He had a long unrequited love for Takahiro all his life until Misaki came into his life. He is shown to be very sensitive regarding his relationship with Misaki. Akihiko is a "pervert" as Misaki likes to phrase it, always touching and fondling him whenever he gets the chance. Misaki's view of him is constantly changing between two perspectives; there is the kind and loving side of Akihiko and the other being overbearing, overprotective as well as controlling. However, he always puts Misaki's needs above his own at the end of the day, especially when Misaki insists on it. Akihiko's father had stated that Akihiko, growing up, was a fragile child and often distanced himself from others. This is likely due to the fact that he absorbs people's words and actions more than he should. It can still be said of him up until he had met Misaki. He is obsessed with re-claiming his lost childhood and living a normal/common life, hence, why he collects children's toys and various commoners items. He also loves doing commoners activities. Despite his mass success as an author, Akihiko has repeatedly expressed that he couldn't care less about his fame. His stated reason for his apathy towards his fame is that his novels will "be around forever". Series To be edited... Relationships Misaki Takahashi He and Misaki do not formally meet even throughout his years as Takahiro's best friend. Following Misaki attempting to enter Mitsuhashi University, they finally meet when Misaki walks in on Akihiko flirting with an oblivious Takahiro. After visually taking Misaki in, Akihiko scoffs and concludes how Misaki and Takahiro "were nothing alike". When Takahiro convinces Akihiko to tutor Misaki in exchange for some homemade goods, Misaki enters his home. However, he furiously learns how Akihiko was using his novels as a way to live out his fantasy of being in a relationship with Takahiro. When confronting Akihiko to leave his brother alone and how "any guy will do" and to just find someone new, Akihiko ends up basically molesting Misaki (who refused to cry out as he saw this as a way of "losing").They initially believe they cannot get along, but as Akihiko begins to tutor Misaki to get into his desired college, they begin to ease into a good and understanding friendship. Misaki even begins to sympathize with Akihiko's unrequited love for Takahiro, giving Akihiko credit for seeing being close friends as a privilege. When Takahiro announces his engagement to his girlfriend, Akihiko has a brief yet significant split second stunned reaction. Misaki punches the wall in anger and drags Akihiko out. He begins to weep for Akihiko and admits how, for the first time in his life, he wanted to actually punch his brother. This sparks Akihiko's realization that Misaki is "the one" for him and kisses him to pacify his sobbing. He then personally cries in his broken heart upon truly losing Takahiro forever, telling Misaki how he is the only one to ever see him cry. The two then stand, embracing and hugging in the falling snow as Misaki comforts him. Following this, Takahiro moves away to start a new job and his family life and Misaki gets into university and moves into Akihiko as a way to stay near the school campus. Starting here, Akihiko begins to flirt with Misaki regularly. When Misaki reveals his belief that he is simply a replacement for his brother, Akihiko admits how his love for Takahiro has since vanished and that Misaki is the true person meant for him. They then consummate their feelings, with Akihiko telling Misaki to never let another person touch him like he has, and begin their relationship. Their relationship faces many obstacles, such as those who fall for Misaki and attempt to steal him away, Misaki's lack of verbal affection and confirmation of his personal love and whether to come out with their relationship to Takahiro. However, they always manage to overcome them and, by the latest manga, have been together for four years. However, they have still yet to tell Takahiro due to Misaki's refusal to tell him about their true relationship, even though Akihiko is more than willing to do so. Trivia *Like various characters throughout the manga series and its spin off, Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi, he smokes. *He makes a brief appearance in Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi season 1 episode 6. *Akihiko has a small obsession with Marimo and owns several eels. He doesn't take care of either though, which Misaki is often left to do. Hence, whenever Akihiko wishes to buy something that requires regular care, Misaki refuses as he will end up caring for it. *One room of his apartment is full with a (huge) mini-replica of the Great Wall of China. It's built by Misaki though. *It is never stated why he and his brother do not get along or what the root of their negative relationship is. *Akihiko never intended to become a writer and only did so after Isaka insisted on it after reading his handwritten work in a notebook he had. *It is never formally stated what his sexuality is. While he has been seriously romantically interested in two males (Takahiro and Misaki), Akihiko has revealed that he has had flings with women as well. Therefore, his official sexual orientation is left ambiguous. Category:Romantica Category:Seme Category:Male Characters Category:Authors Category:Usami Category:Characters